Habari mpya za ECHOcommunity
ECHOcommunity Member Spotlight: Dr. Ann Wilke 2016-09-14
Dr. Wilkie, a professor at the University of Florida, is a specialist in microbial metabolism. Internationally recognized as an expert in biogas technology, she has also conducted research on the practical application of anaerobic digestion for waste treatment and renewable energy production.
We are pleased to annouce that Dr. Wilkie will be presenting plenary session at the ECHO International Agriculture Conference in November. This presentation will focus on biogas for smallholder farmers. Biogas is a renewal form of energy produced by the anaerobic digestion of materials such as livestock manure. An important by-product of biogas systems is a nutrient-rich digestate that can be used as a biofertilizer.
In addition to her plenary session on Thursday, Dr. Wilkie will be leading an optional post-conference workshop on Friday, November 18. This workshop will highlight biogas production and include practical demonstrations. On the same day, Brad Lancaster will also be hosting a post-conference workshop on water harvesting in dry climates.
You can sign up for these workshops online: Reserve My Post-Conference Workshop Spot
More Resources:
ECHO's 23rd annual International Agriculture Conference's plenary lineup includes speakers spanning a broad range of subjects. Included in the three-day conference are sessions on agroforestry (Dr. P.K. Nair), creation care (Scott Sabin) and several appropriate technology topics: greenhouse and aquaponics projects (Rex Barber), biochar (Dr. Roy Beckford), water harvesting (Brad Lancaster) and biogas systems (Dr. Ann Wilkie).
ECHO Tech Note #44: Methane Digesters has been recently updated. There are many designs for methane digesters ranging from large and complex to small and simple. This document covers two main types of digesters: batch digesters and flow-thru digesters; and two main types of gas collectors: tube collectors and floating collectors.
Voices From Our Network - West Africa 2016-08-31
"Before receiving training in ECHO, we had difficulty to buy fresh vegetables at certain times of the year; likewise, some vegetables and crops such as cowpea leaves, okra and sorrel are almost not found in the dry season. After training, I immediately decided to practice the art of tires gardens and this is how I planted sorrel, moringa, cowpea and okra I used a total of 10 tires. Today I am happy because these gardens have enabled me to achieve large cost savings and I do not buy all these condiments at the market, I have fresh vegetables at any time. With Moringa, we transform leaves in powder that we give to children and most of their illnesses disappeared; we are going less often to the clinic and we consume the leaves in the sauce. I also shared the benefits of training with a dozen of my friends and they continue to come in my home to collect moringa leaves that they administer to their children who also enjoy better health."
- Mrs. Siripé Korotimi: Siby, Burkina Faso
Clínica Verde - Holistic Wellness benefits from Bio-Intensive Gardening 2016-08-23
Clínica Verde is a global healthcare organization that designed and operates a prototype of a sustainably designed health hub in Nicaragua. Through medical services and frequent trainings they are taking a preventive approach to the wellbeing of their patients. Clinical care, nutrition, and health education are provided in an environment designed to support and improve health outcomes.
Syringe Vacuum Pump: An appropriate technology for seed saving which is suitable for smallholder farmer. 2016-08-09
Vacuum-sealing seeds is highly effective, but the technology to do it is often out of the reach of small-scale farmers. This one dollar solution can help small-scale farmers store seeds more reliably, improving seed viability and reducing loss.
This research was done in Cambodia as part of "Seeds of Hope: Connecting Seeds, Livelihoods, and Poverty Alleviation with Marginalized Smallholder Farmers" which was conducted by ECHO Asia, International Cooperation Cambodia (ICC), and Ntuk Nti Small Farm Resource Center, in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri Provinces, Cambodia.
Support for this project was made possible by the generosity of the Presbyterian Hunger Program from the United States of America.
Yohana Mcha’s Hay Baler benefits her Orkolili neighbors 2016-08-02
Yohana Mcha, headmistress of Orkolili Secondary school is an innovator who received a Pico grant in 2015 from ECHO through the IDIN program. She attended an innovation summit organized in Arusha in August 2014 at which she learned of the challenge she wanted to solve in her area: a way to store animal fodder plenty during the rainy season (March to June) and very scarce during the dry season (July to October and January to February). She decided to create a simple hay baler, a box using timber, which was completed during August last year. It was not fully used since at that time there was scarcity of grass. However, from March thru June this year her area received good rainfall and a bumper grass crop was grown ready for harvest.
Yohana and her neighbors used her box baler to make a pile of hay bales in her compound, stored ready to be used by her cattle during the dry season. She has seven cattle of which 5 are pregnant which need much grass for feed. She is happy about the simple hay baler she created and the way it has become an effective tool for her animals. Three neighbors have visited her this season and after seeing what she did with the box they borrowed it to make their hay; now they have promised to construct their own balers.
Digging Deeper: Rotational Grazing 2016-07-15
Since 2014, the ECHO Farm in North Ft. Myers, Florida has been upgrading and expanding its pastures using the managed, rotational, intensive grazing model. With paddocks sub-divided by electric fencing, cows and goats are moved regularly and systematically from intensively grazed plots to fresh, recovered sections of pasture. This regular rotation prevents overgrazing and enables a healthy rapid recovery of each grazed cell.
This rotational grazing model was recently taught at ECHO by Andre Houssney, a farmer and international development worker. Additionally, Tre’ Cates, a 2015 conference plenary speaker representing the Savory Institute (co-founded by Allan Savory), shared about Holistic Land Management. This sustainable grazing system is being widely applied toward the restoration of the world’s grasslands.
Making use of our new grazing facility and other farm resources, during September 20-13, 2016, ECHO will be hosting the Introduction to Small-Scale Livestock Production in the Tropics workshop. Besides sharing the basics of managed, rotational, intensive grazing, other topics will include deep-litter pig systems, production of silage and other feeds, forage plant identification, animal health and harvesting. For more information
Voices From Our Network - East Africa 2016-06-28
"Agriculture is important to me because if I can share what I know about farming with my village, maybe they will learn from me and our lives will be better. At ECHO demonstration gardens, we learned what vegetables grow well with little water in case there is a drought, and we learned new and better ways of farming. Everyone needs to have skills about something so they can share with theIr community. In my community, many people are farmers but they don't always know the best ways to produce."
– Mathayo, 10th Grade student leader in Orkeeswa Secondary School's agriculture club
Integrated agriculture serves rehabilitation ministry in more ways than one 2016-06-02
Rick Ervin is a veterinarian working in Nicaragua. Since 2006 he and his wife Mary have been involved in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation ministry near Tuma-La dalia. At the ministry’s small farm men and women who have little or no financial resources receive care and chance to make a new start. The farm integrates animal systems including rabbits, laying hens and dairy goats with traditional crops such as corn and beans.
Latin America and ... Institutional Agri... Institutional Agri...
Guest Post: Travis Silveus - Peace Corps Volunteer, Tanzania 2016-05-24
Travis Silveus is a Peace Corps Volunteer who is extending for his 3rd year in Tanzania by working with ECHO East Africa. He did his two year work in Kijunguvillage, Kiteto, Manyara Region, and here he shares some honest experiences of that time.
"In my village, deforestation is a problem. If a tree doesn't produce edible fruit or look beautiful with showy flowers, it's usually on its way to becoming firewood. The two years I lived in Kijungu I saw the tree line slowly creep up the mountain behind my house as families would send girls to cut and collect tree branches. I talked with the environment group, a small group of concerned villagers, but our plans to start a tree nursery were put on the way side until the rains came and then eventually forgotten...
East Africa FMNR African Moringa Tanzania Peace Corps Deforestation
ECHOcommunity Member Profile: Pastor Florentin 2016-05-03
This week's blog post is from guest writer Robert Sanou. Robert is the director of the ECHO West Africa Regional Impact Center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The pastor who brings change in his environment
It was an afternoon of March that I received a call from Pastor Florentin. His name reminded me nothing; but he told me he had participated in the forum of ECHO in January 2015 in Ouagadougou. He invited me to come and see the fruit of "your job."
In Africa this phrase has two meanings:
- Either that you did a good job and you come see the beautiful fruit
- Or that you have not worked well and you will also see the consequences.
But he assured me that it was a good job.
ECHO forum has opened more his eyes on gardening and he wanted us to come and see the difference.
Pastor Florentin lives in Zangoma at about 65kms from Bobo-Dioulasso the second city of the country.
The pastor met us at the roadside before leading us in his garden. The garden is almost one hectare. He has produced onions, cabbage and zucchini. A very beautiful garden, with vegetables in very good shape.
Florentin says he participated in the forum of ECHO through a scholarship He has been practicing gardening since but the forum was a beautiful opportunity to better understand the work of the garden and the interest of a garden.
We were very amazed by the beauty of the fields; He had still not begun harvesting but he was expecting a good sale in this year.
Florentin has also encouraged the members of his Church to the gardens. After his garden, he leads us in gardens of members of his Church.
Beyond the Church, Florentin shares his knowledge of gardening with the people of his village.
This is exactly the spirit of sharing of ECHO.